Glaeser, Ernst

Writer

born: 29.07.1902 in Butzbach

died: 08.02.1963 in Mainz

Glaeser studied law, German studies and philosophy in Freiburg im Breisgau and Munich. He enjoyed international success with his autobiographical novel "Jahrgang 1902" (1928). In it, he describes his generation, disoriented by the upheavals of the German Empire, the First World War and the Weimar Republic. Glaeser worked as a journalist for the "Frankfurter Zeitung", as a dramaturge at the "Deutsches Theater" in Frankfurt (1926/27 season) and as head of the literary department at Südwestdeutscher Rundfunk (1928-30). He took part in the activities of the "Bund proletarisch-revolutionärer Schriftsteller".

His books fell victim to the National Socialist book burning in 1933. Glaeser went into exile, first to Czechoslovakia, then to Switzerland. In 1935, his novel "The Last Civilian" was published in Zurich, critically describing the rise of National Socialism in a small town. Homesickness and political doubts led him to return to Germany in April 1939, where he received permission to publish in May 1939. The German authors in exile perceived his behavior as "incitement" and betrayal. In 1940, Glaeser was conscripted into the Wehrmacht; he worked as the editor of Luftwaffe front newspapers.

After 1945 he lived in Heidelberg. In Wiesbaden, he made contact with the Limes publisher Max Niedermayer, who provided him with a study in the Pariser Hof and published some of his works. Glaeser justified himself journalistically against the accusations about his return from emigration and made recommendations for a democratic way of life, but was no longer taken seriously. In 1960, his novel "Glanz und Elend der Deutschen", an analysis of the economic miracle, was published and rejected by critics.

Glaeser spent the last years of his life in Wiesbaden. In June 1961, he published an article on the history and character of the city in the magazine "Wiesbaden - Festliche Kur- und Kongreßstadt". He was buried in the cemetery in Wiesbaden-Sonnenberg.